Smart Solar Energy Solutions | Low-Cost Subscription Service

We helped BBOXX deliver out of the box solar-power solutions with a low-cost monthly payment plan.

BBOXX provide their customers with a better quality of life through solar-powered energy systems that target hard to reach locations throughout Africa and the developing world.

Based in London, BBOXX design, manufactures, distributes and finances innovative plug and play solar systems, improving the lives of nearly 1 million people.

For many people living in these areas, the typical monthly income didn’t reach much more than $200 per month — and with up-front costs usually needed to implement supplies such as kerosene, batteries and charging points, it was only people with a higher income, like farmers, who could afford such luxuries.

BBOXX saw the need for a low-cost subscription-based service, providing remotely located people the opportunity to have access to energy supply but also include ‘bolt-on’ accessories such as TV, radio or LED lights meaning families would be able to connect to the modern day world.

In seeking a quick-to-market and simple deployment solution, BBOXX were introduced to Wireless Logic, to meet the requirement of having global connectivity across Sub-Saharan Africa.

By identifying the requirement for GPRS connectivity to the BBOXX service, combining a low data usage tariff (1 to 2mb per month) and with access to Conexa, our ‘network for things’, we created a one-stop connectivity package. This enabled the ability to provision SIMS, observe data usage and set limit warnings on unusual activity, all delivered from our SIM Management Platform SIMPro and sent via an API onto BBOXX’s own SMART Solar Management platform. Through this platform, it was possible to monitor real-time usage patterns, device performance including voltage, current, temperature and have full control of the solar power devices remotely, allowing for BBOXX’s direct team to turn them on and off remotely if needed.

Leading on the global deployment, Ollie Wallington, Business Development Director for Wireless Logic explained the strategy in creating seamless cross-border connectivity: “Working with multiple countries and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), a global SIM using our network Conexa was the appropriate solution to the BBOXX brief. Global SIMs are suited to low data thresholds and with connectivity from the solar unit to the SMART platform limited to communication every four hours, and layering Wireless Logic’s ‘NetPro’ secure infrastructure, was perfectly suited.”

Today, BBOXX’s solar energy solutions are being adopted region by region with Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda leading the way in a growing number of developing nations across East Africa. In each of these locations, BBOXX is setting up direct retail chains giving much-needed employment to over 150 people. The retail operation is core to the BBOXX offering, whilst an increasing number of distributors are opening doors in both Africa, South America and Asia. Common to all is the singular connectivity with one SIM accessing multiple networks delivering a reliable and resilient service with a single monthly cost. Data is transmitted two-way via GPRS with packets of data carrying critical information that ensures longevity of the energy provision.

But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings.The BBOXX SMART Platform is fundamental to the efficient operation of the device estate. Beyond planned maintenance, user behaviour/profiling and energy management, we were keen for both our direct team and our channel partners to have full visibility and management of the device’s connectivity. Consequently, the ability to provision SIMs, observe data usage and, importantly, set limit warnings on unusual activity, were all important to the operation. Wireless Logic’s SIM management platform SIMPro was able to deliver all of our requirements through an API into our own smart platform. And by developing unique profiles for each SIM deployed, the entire billing process for direct and channel was far simpler than originally imagined.

"The BBOXX SMART Platform is fundamental to the efficient operation of the device estate. Beyond planned maintenance, user behaviour/profiling and energy management, we were keen for both our direct team and our channel partners to have full visibility and management of the device’s connectivity. Consequently, the ability to provision SIMs, observe data usage and, importantly, set limit warnings on unusual activity, were all important to the operation. Wireless Logic’s SIM management platform SIMPro was able to deliver all of our requirements through an API into our own smart platform. And by developing unique profiles for each SIM deployed, the entire billing process for direct and channel was far simpler than originally imagined."

BBOXX: Smart Solar Energy With IoT

We helped BBOXX deliver out of the box solar-power solutions with a low-cost monthly payment plan.

Background

BBOXX provide their customers with a better quality of life through solar-powered energy systems that target hard to reach locations throughout Africa and the developing world.

The Challenge

BBOXX saw the need for a low-cost subscription-based service, providing remotely located people the opportunity to have access to energy supply but also include ‘bolt-on’ accessories such as TV, radio or LED lights meaning families would be able to connect to the modern day world.

The Solution

In seeking a quick-to-market and simple deployment solution, BBOXX were introduced to Wireless Logic, to meet the requirement of having global connectivity across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Outcome

IoT. It's not complicated with Wireless Logic

Design and deploy a future-proof IoT solution that scales with your business.